Delhi government forms committee to tackle rising air pollution, identifies 13 key hotspots

As air quality deteriorates in Delhi, Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced on Friday the establishment of a special coordination committee aimed at identifying and mitigating local pollution sources at 13 critical locations in Delhi where the Air Quality Index (AQI) has reached "very poor" levels.

Current data reveals that the AQI in these identified areas has surpassed 300, signalling alarming pollution levels. These hotspots include Narela, Bawana, Mundka, Wazirpur, Rohini, R K Puram, Okhla, Jahangirpuri, Anand Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Mayapuri, and Dwarka Sector-8. 

“There is a marked increase in air pollution as winter approaches, with a significant portion of Delhi's air quality classified as 'poor,' especially in these 13 hotspots,” Minister Rai noted during a press briefing.

In response to this urgent issue, the newly formed committee will be led by deputy commissioners of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), with engineers from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) assigned to each hotspot. These engineers will provide daily updates to a designated 'Pollution War Room' to ensure a timely and effective response.

“The team will begin on-site assessments starting tomorrow. Additionally, the Public Works Department (PWD) will deploy mobile anti-smog guns to curb dust pollution in these areas,” Rai detailed, emphasizing that dust is a primary factor driving the excessive AQI levels above 300.